March is one of those months when you cannot be sure which way the weather will go. This year, so far, the mountain conditions have been excellent. In January I managed 3 Corbetts, but cut the visit short due to poor conditions on the tracks to the hills, difficult even with Nordic skis. After my February excursion, The Ben and Cairngorms have snow but most of the rest has disappeared due to warm rainy conditions. It is very wet underfoot, but more normal for Scotland at this time of year. This month we have the last of the Winter Evening meets at the Royal Oak, a revitalised Fell Race and our 60th AGM. Don't forget it's your opportunity to "have a say" about how the club is run and what it should be doing, so please come along and take part.
The President hasn't made it as far as Scotland yet this winter. He has however, been out on the ice in North Wales and the Lakes on two very successful weekends away. Impromptu "Scottish" trips will continue as long as enthusiasm and conditions last - they may even get to Scotland! Organisation will be mainly be by e-mail, but if you're interested please get in touch.
Our next talk, the last of this season is by Richard Hopkinson & Steve Christian, who will be talking about 'Climbing in the Picos de Europa' on Tuesday 3rd March. That should be good - and might act as a catalyst for a future Club meet? I look forward to seeing you there (at the Royal Oak that is, not the Picos just yet!). Please let me know if you can come. See you on Tuesday 3rd March at the Royal Oak Ockbrook - 20.00
Having just read the 2009 Meets List I find that I have put my name down to lead this meet. I am not going to make any rash promises about fine winter conditions or fine warm and sunny conditions suitable for climbing, so any of you who wish to attend this meet will, as always, have to make do with whatever the weather god or goddess provides. Derek.
As I'm sure everyone will appreciate it's very difficult to add anything new to the usual Newsletter 'overview' regarding this traditional meet; climbing, scrambling, walking, mountain biking, canoeing, fishing and even gear shopping are all available in the immediate vicinity of the hut. The only variable will be the weather but statistically we are due for a good one! Over the next couple of weeks I will endeavour to contact the 'usual suspects' but at the moment 10 beds are still available so if you want to book a berth please call Andrea and I will hopefully arrive mid evening on Friday but others have already indicated that they will be travelling on Thursday so hopefully the hut will be 'warmed and aired' by Friday evening. Incidentally although the slightly longer daylight might be useful this year, normal service will be resumed next year, when the meet will revert to its traditional early March 'slot'.
After a lapse of several years the Healthy Lea Fell Race has returned to the Oread Meets List. This is not just for keen fell runners, but is intended as a fun event to be enjoyed by all. The event will take place at 11:00 on Sunday, March 22nd, but please aim to turn up at 10:30 so we can finalize the arrangements and hand out maps and information.
The race will be for teams of two. The course, if followed in its entirety, is 6.8 miles long. However, each member of the team runs in the opposite direction around the course until they meet. At this point each will return the way they have already come and then meet again just before the finish. They must finish together, so the first to arrive at the top of the track leading down to Healthy Lea must wait until his/her partner arrives and then they can finish.
The intention is to pair the fastest runners with the slowest runners, so the fast runner will have to run much further round the course until meeting up with the slower runner and then have to return the same way and will therefore cover a greater distance. Hence the fast runner will have a good workout and the slower runner will still have a good chance of being part of the winning team. Even if you do not consider yourself a "proper" runner, please come along and join in. You may suggest pairings if you like, but the final pairings are entirely at the discretion of the organizers! Complaints about the handicapping can be aired at the pub afterwards.
It would be helpful if you could indicate in advance if you will come along so that we can scheme about the pairings, but it is still possible to turn up on the day. As we would like to take part, we would appreciate an offer for someone to do the timekeeping duties - for anyone not interested in running. If there is anyone who wants to stay at Healthy Lea over the weekend, please get in touch. We are available to participate in activities on Saturday and socialize at the Robin Hood on Saturday evening.
As stated last month, this will be held at the Robin Hood Inn, Chesterfield Road, Baslow, at 20.00hrs. We still need a Meets Secretary so if you would like to ''get involved'' with running the club, this could be your oportunity to shine !
I am sure the petrolheads will be pleased to note that this time I intend to travel into the Peak by car. The scheme of the day is to walk ant-clockwise in a large semicircle starting from Grindleford station and finishing, probably in Bamford. Let's meet at 10 at the station and move off soon afterwards. Up Padley Gorge to the Surprise CP to collect late arrivals. Charge is £3.50 but the machine has been out of order since before Christmas! Mother Cap, Higgar and across to Stanage. Come equipped for some gentle (optional) scrambles and maybe a little bouldering. Bring a headtorch in case someone knows the subterranean scramble through the boulders at Higgar. We'll take our lunch somewhere on Stanage. If anyone can get me up any of the first four boulder problems of the sky blue circuit (the ones beside the causeway), I'll buy them a pint. Some are only graded V0!
We'll probably make our way down over Bamford Edge to the station and be back at Grindleford at 1648, though if we are having a seriously good time that might be 1848. Endless permutations possible as the train service is hourly during the day and could be joined at Hathersage, for those looking for a shorter walk or Hope for those who choose to yomp on over Win Hill. Equally, the 272 bus service runs hourly in the valley for those parked at Surprise. I will have timetables. Try to share transport please: parking at Grindleford is limited. For lifts or offers please contact me. I have one adult space and one smaller one. Rob
The clocks will have changed allowing us rock-hungry climbers to head out onto the real stuff. We'll stick to the tried and tested formula of Harborough Rocks, where there are plenty of easy routes and bouldering, followed by refreshing drinks in Brassington at the Olde Gate. The wet weather option will be the wall at Wirksworth and the Royal Oak. See you all there.
It seems a long time since the club had a meet here. In previous years we have climbed and walked many of the excellent hills around such as Causey Pike, Sail, Grasmoor, Grisedale Pike etc. It's also not too far to drive into Borrowdale for some of the great rock climbing there. Troutdale Pinnacle in clear April light should be great. Then there are the crags of Shepherd's waiting to be climbed. It's a long time since I did Little Chamonix, so I would be up for that if anyone is interested. The hutte is owned by the Fylde M.C with whom we have reciprocal rights, and is situated at G.R. NY 2372 2106.
I have ordered some warm Spring sunshine and the daffodils should be coming out. It is about 1 klm to the Swinside Inn, where I shall be on Friday evening, enjoying a pint or two of Jennings I shall be going up on Friday morning if anyone would like a lift.
At my meet, conditions didn't look very promising but turned out well. On Saturday we went en masse (all 5 of us) into Cwm Clogwyn. Pike extended family went up Central Route (?) on Llechog (Diff in summer) and had a fairly wet and muddy time of it. Chiz and I went higher up the Cwm , and went up an unnamed gully on the headwall - first defined gully to the right of the fence. It got progressively steeper, to culminate in 3 pitches of quite good grade III climbing. There was fairly firm snowpack, but frequently the axes were scrabbling around on bare rock or unfrozen turf underneath!. I do find it surprising that this Cwm gets no mention in the winter guides, as it's just about the highest north facing in Wales. Sunday started wet, Pikes went looking for slate crags, we went for a walk. The weather then turned superb in the afternoon, but we never got round to doing anything! Reuben Dakin.
Our meet to Seathwaite in the Borrowdale area of the Lakes fortuitously coincided with the fells being covered in ice and snow. This provided sixteen Oread's with various options for the weekend. After a cold Friday night in the hut, Simon & Steve were up before dawn and headed up to Great End whilst most others were still tucked up it bed. Was this early start made to beat the crowds, or was it to ensure they could be finished early enough to watch the rugby in the pub? Their route was Window Gully. They were not alone on Great End that day. Mike and Vic climbed Central Gully Left and Cust's Gully was ascended by the group of Pete, Alison, Chiz, Reu, Pam and Nodge on their round-about-way to Glaramara. The remaining Oreads comprising John G, John D, Rock, Pete, Dave and myself set out on a long winter walk along the corridor route taking in Lingmell and Scarfell Pike, returning via Great End. The walking conditions were perfect for crampons with plenty of compacted snow and ice sheets underfoot.
On return to the hut, mulled wine was on hand to warm everyone up. A few ventured to the pub, but all were back for the main event of the evening, which was a surprising demonstration of 'backdraft' by the unsuspecting meet leader.
A much warmer night was had in the hut as the fires had been burning for hours, which resulted in a more leisurely start on the Sunday. Once organised, various walks were completed. The group of Steve, Simon, John Green and myself headed from the hut following the line of Sour Milk Gill. This brought us to Raven Crag where we hoped to find a grade II gully full of snow, but the gully was disappointingly bare considering the large amounts of snow elsewhere in the area. We instead found a wide gully, which gave us a good steep climb of several hundred feet on rock hard neve' to the top on Brandreth. The weather was clear and gave great views across the white wilderness of the Eastern fells.
On the whole, the weekend was very successful and a lot of fun. The K-Fellfarers High House hut at Seathwaite is in an excellent location and we should really make more use of our reciprocal rights. Thanks to everyone who attended and made it a great winter weekend. Neil
One of our members has made the headlines! In the Derby Evening Telegraph. Chiz has been given the Outdoor Writers' and Photographers' Guild Award for excellence in photography. This was from a portfolio of 15 pictures taken in Madeira. Congratulations to her from us all. J.G.
The repairs are continuing at the Welsh Hutte. Some new problems have been found but all should be OK for the month end.Chuck.
Some weeks ago we approached the Peak District National Park about the purchase of Residents Parking Permits. At a cost of £15 per year these enable free use of its chargeable car parks (and are available to anyone resident in the Peak District). The reply from the PDNP suggests that club may well be entitled to purchase some. The cost of an annual permit for visitors to the Peak District is £30 and for over 60's £20. Could anyone who is interested in spending £15 on a Residents Permit let me know. Once we know the level of demand, if any, we can decide how to proceed. Chris Wilson
I arranged a meeting on Friday at the rocks with the Forestry Commission and the BMC. I had expected just three of us, but in the end we were nine! Four climbers, four from the FC (two of whom were also climbers) and one from the DCC ranger service. We walked up and along below the north face of the rocks and it was eventually agreed that the beech and sycamore between the crag and the High Peak Trail would be removed along the whole length of the face and the birch would be selectively thinned. A single row of beeches beside the trail to remain. This job would be offered "for sale" in November and the work would be carried out before March 2010. As to the trees on the rocks themselves, the Forestry Commission were reluctant to allow amateurs even the wink to do this so the job would be contracted out to a roped access/tree surgery team. And, Derrick, that includes the large silver birch which now obstructs Garden Wall Traverse even though Reuben Bowen pointed out that it is used for a running belay on an E3 that goes up the wall left of Stonnis Crack. We thought they could stick a Friend in the horizontal crack that the tree roots in. This work (on the crag) to be executed late winter or spring this year. All subject to local consultation (Wirksworth & Cromford). Rob Tresidder
It may be of interest to know about a talk Karen Darke's giving at the Assembly Rooms on the 26th of March about skiing across Greenland, cycling over the Himalayas and climbing El Cap (oh yes she was paralysed in a climbing accident when she was 21 - and I think people should remember her from the Xmas dinner). You can find out more about her at http://www.karendar ke.com
Although the Meets List shows blank for Easter, there will be activity taking place.
Some are heading for Swanage, but an order has been placed for the best weather to be in Cornwall where it should be hot, dry and sunny all Easter week. A small but growing band of Oreads will be staying at Trevaylor Caravan and Camping Park, Botallack,St Just,Penzance, Cornwall TR19 7PU (Tel 01736 787016, Email: trevaylor@cornishcamping.co.uk) from Sat 11 to 18 April. Apart from the fantastic and varied climbing, the area has walking, beaches, pubs, some of the best chip shops around, and so the list of superlatives goes on. It will be well worth the drive, so please come and join us. Chris Wilson.